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Cultivating Connections

February, 2014
Articles of Interest in this Issue
Farm to School
ACORN Updates
Sustainable Living Expo
Farmer Resources
Community Garden
Health & Wellness Lectures
Events & Goings-on



Served at Mary Hogan- Carrot Quinoa Muffins & Sweet Potato Hummus from the New School Cuisine Cookbook. 

The NUDGE Factor: Parents & interested folks. check out the Community Resources for Farm to School & Save March 27th for Stone Soup Farm to School Gathering



Be a Friend- join ACORN on Facebook


It's not just for schools!

bees with honey comb
THE BUZZ IS:
What do gorillas in Rwanda and bees in Vermont have in common? The Garuka Bar the most awesome source for primal energy with Champlain Valley Apiary honey!  Subscribe for a 30% savings and receive a monthly mailing! Join other Vermonters in the Garuka fan club!
Fresh Garuka Bars


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List your farm in the upcoming ACORN Local Food Guide: contact  Susan Smiley



Gardeners...are you looking to start early seeds? For Grow lights check out Gardeners Supply

Need seeds?High Mowing, another great Vermont supplier to help you produce your own food. New to gardening? check out the Vegetable Planting Guide! 
 



Farmers: do you want to participate in a farm research project with students? Contact Steve Colangeli at MUHS Alternative Ed for details










The Better Middlebury Partnership is thrilled to host one of Top 10 Winter Events as named by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce: The Vermont Chili Festival! Basin Harbor Clubs seeks to win with their local pork chili on Saturday March 8th! 

 Vermonters like chili!





It's that time of year again....Farmers are getting their barns and greenhouses ready for the big spring push!
EF soil blocks






F2S: Farm to School in Addison County
Mary Hogan School hosted a food, school, and community meeting on January 30th that brought together teachers, administration, foodservice, students, pare
nts and active citizens. Organized by ACORN, this event was designed as a step toward increasing school lunch participation rates, local food purchases, and community involvement. With nearly 60 people present, there is clearly a community interest in how the classroom, cafeteria, and  community can affect positive change in nutrition, education and serving food.
 
Food Educator and graduate of Mary Hogan, Emily Hoyler led the facilitated process fostering group brainstorming of many variables associated with school lunches, increasing interactive farm to school curriculum and community involvement that will create more healthy food choices in homes. Relying on Emily's experience working at FEED, a well articulated set of ideas resulted.

Mary Hogan is a likely candidate to apply for a place at The Farm to School Institute, a FREE year-long professional development opportunity offered to ten school teams in Vermont. Teams first gather for three days of learning and networking to develop a Farm to School action plan for their classrooms, cafeterias, and communities and then implement the plans, with support, over the following academic year. The Institute begins in June 2014. Other schools in Addison County should apply too for a fantastic opportunity to nudge incremental change. 

ACORN is a Vermont non-profit currently working on specific projects to broaden Addison County's impact in the arena of food, agriculture, capitalization of small businesses and renewable energy resources.  We build connections; the links are meant to show the array of Vermont-based resources. Kindly share ideas that can support our effort. JOIN ACORN
   
Local grains are the 
Harvest of the Month! 

 

     

Sustainable Living Expo
ACORN is host to the March 29th Sustainable Living ExpoCome join local product and service vendors and a day of workshops in the company of like-minded folks. Our mission is to gather, inspire and empower the citizens of the Champlain Valley around an idea of community security that is rooted in nature, in our communities and in our minds, hearts and bodies. It is time to come home to ourselves and to cultivate the seeds of a new society within the shell of the old.

 

To achieve this larger goal, we bring together the different members of our emerging sustainable community under one tent: local food businesses, farmers, renewable energy providers, planners, builders, artists, elders, students, entrepreneurs, teachers, healers, gardeners, and citizens. We will provide opportunities for learning, listening and conversation, and we will offer a venue for networking, engagement and collaboration. 

 

Do YOU want to share your knowledge in a workshop? Fill in the workshop proposal form!

 
B2B: Farmer Resources
Triple washing produce for optimal food safety is the new normal for food producers. UVM Extension has produced a fantastic video for farmers.  (Consumers should watch it too). This tool will help you understand important variables in how our local food gets to our tables, safely. Vern Grubinger, UVM extension leads through the steps to managing the washing of your greens- or for consumers, the steps farmers are taking to address food safety. 
 
   
 
Other great resources for on-farm efficiency include using harvest and storage tubs. There are many available and these represent a few companies Vermont farmers like to do business with: 


 
Middlebury Community Garden Seeks Gardeners
Porter Medical has created a wonderful community garden and is seeking to fill all its garden plots. If you have a desire to garden, but lack a place to grow, sign up for a spot at Porter. 
 
Find the details here and start planning! 
 
Free Health & Wellness Lectures
Fletcher Allen Medical has created an excellent lecture series and invites all of Addison County and beyond to stop in! The full list of topics proves there's more to wellness than just diet and exercise. Keeping the mind active plays a role too. 
 
From Climate Change to the Science of Taste, this series is sure to help you on your road to a more healthy lifestyle. All lectures are free. 
Mark Your Calendars
Events & Opportunities   

Please note the Sustainable Living Expo Date is March 29th not March 8th-

the date has been changed

 

February 12 Film: 
Holley Hall, Bristol 6:00 PM
Sponsored in partnership with Porter Medical, ANESU, Bristol Fitness, Bristol Rec, VT Department of Health, Blueprint for Health and ACORN
Refreshments provided by Addison NE Food Service Cooperative

 

February 12 - HEALTHY DESSERTS 
6:00 - 7:30 PM Ages: Teen and Adult 
Mt Abe Union High School 
Kitchen Bristol
Pre-registration required  

 

NOFA Winter Conference 

Feb 15-17 Burlington                                                      

 

Perfect for EVERY farmer

February 19 & 20 

 

Hops Conference  

February 27th

Sheraton Conference Center, Burlington, VT 

 

Boston Local Food Trade Show

March 4th

Thinking of selling to the Boston Area: Think 6 Degrees of Addison County by attending this event

 

Middlebury Chili Fest

March 8th on Main Street 

 

March 22nd Champlain Valley Expo

 

March 29th more details coming soon

 

ACORN Stone Soup Farm to School Summit 

NEW! Day long event with an emphasis on Farm to School curriculum & teaching wellness 

March 27 more details coming soon

Middlebury College

  

Thanks to all of you for sharing links and information.   Please share our website to build the network widely! 

 

Annie Harlow
ACORN Network

802-922-7060  

[email protected]